One of the Republican candidates for the presidency, Mitt Romney, received a boost at the weekend when he won a high-profile but seriously flawed straw poll in Iowa.

The poll, part of the build-up in the contest to choose the Republican nominee, is the first time votes have been cast in this campaign, as opposed to opinion polls.

Mr Romney won 4,416 votes, 32%, with Mike Huckabee in second place on 18%. Other Republicans, Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson and John McCain, received only 1% each, but that is because they declined to participate and their names were written in by supporters.

Mr Romney spent millions on the poll, seeing it as an important platform on which to build support and to raise his media profile: he made it onto the front pages of the New York Times and Washington Post yesterday.

Voters wishing to take part in the poll, which is held partly to raise funds for the Republicans, have to pay $35 (£17) each but campaign teams were on hand to provide the cash and transport.

In spite of the extent to which his win was based on money and there was no competition from front-runners, Mr Romney hailed his victory: "The people of this great state have sent a message to the rest of the country. Change starts in Iowa."

He is devoting resources to Iowa, where a caucus this winter will mark the formal start of the presidential contest.